gilbert



T. s. GILBERT.

CORSET STAY.

Patented June 6, 1882.

@iwf I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS S. GILBERT, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO MAX ADLER, OFSAME PLACE.

CO RS ET-STAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters :Eatent No. 259,128, dated June 6,1882.

Application led December 12, 1881.' (Model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THos. S. GILBERT, of NewHaven, in the county ot' New Haven and State of Connecticut, haveinvented a new Improvement in CorsetStays; and I do hereby declare thefollowing, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing andthe letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same,

and which saiddraw-ing constitutes part of this specification, andrepresents a transverse section enlarged.

This invention relates to the construction of a substitute for bones incorsets.

It is well known that-tampicober has a certain amount ot' elasticity,and has been used in corsets as a substitute for whalebone and otherstays.

Various devices have been resorted to to retain ber in the proper shapefor insertion into the'corset, such as twisting the ber into a cord, orby winding` several bers, or by an outside covering over several bers,or clasps around several bers to bind them together.

These constructions, however, are not only diicult but expensive tomake.

The object of this invention is to combine several bers into a singlestay without such outside. connections, attachment, or covering; and itconsists in a corset-stay composed of several bers of tampico orequivalent material running longitudinally of the stay, secured togetherby an adhesive material'between the bers, which serves as the means forsecuring the lsaid longitudinal bers together and without theintervention of tra-nsverse or other bindingber or means. The

best method known to lme for thus combining several bers to form asingle stay is to take the number of bers required for the produc. tionof a given size of stay, then, holding them together, draw them througha bath of indiarubber in solution, taking o' the surplus as it passesfrom the bath, and then vulcanizing the whole. This rmly secures thebers together'in their proper shape foninsertion into the corset, thesecurity being throughout their entire length and water-proof', so thatthe stay is not affected by the perspiration of the wearer.

In steadof drawing the bers through the v bath together,they maybemmersed separately in the india-rubber, and connected after suchimmersion, the adhesive 'nature of the indiarubber holding themtogether, and presenting substantially the saine stay as in the rstinstance.

Instead of india-rubber, gummy or adhesive material may be used forconnecting the several bers; but I prefer -the india-rubber from itsWell-known adhesiveand water-proof qualities.

While I prefer to combine the bers into a stay so that the bers lieparallel to each other, they may be twisted; but in either case theindia-rubber, adhesive material, or gum serves to hold the several berstogether to complete the stay.

From the foregoing it will be understood that I do not broadlypclaim astay made from bers, as such, I am aware, is not new; but in allprevious constructions of stays of this character some mechanical devicehas been required to be applied to hold the bers in their properrelation to each otherthat is, to secure them ,together to form thestay.

I claim- A corset-stay composed of several bers ot tampico runninglongitudinally of the stay, secured together by india-rubber or adhesivematerial between the'said bers, substantially as described.

THOS. S. GILBERT.

